Ubuntu is the standard recommendation for Linux For Everyone, as it is a "just works" operating system. Lubuntu is a lightweight version of it that will work on just about anything manufactured this decade.
If you have a decent size USB thumbdrive, it is possible to put a Linux image on it, restart your PC and run Linux without altering your Windows installation. Performance will be reduced because the thumb drive is slow relative to a hard drive, but you can take it for a test drive. Actually installing Linux is simple, except for the part where your hard drive gets re-organized into two regions, which as I recall was much more painful with older Windows versions than the new ones. However, if you are content to wipe the whole hard drive and start fresh it is easy, especially if you have backup computers to do web searches, put things on USB drives, etc.
However, there is one caveat - the power saving functions of many laptops do not work properly under Linux due to a lack of driver support. This is better with newer hardware, but a laptop I owned of about the same vintage as yours lasted three hours on battery with Windows, and 45 minutes with Ubuntu. Your mileage will very depending on the exact model, but Lenovos are the most likely to have proper driver support.
Thank you for all the work you have done over the years to explain the situation we find ourselves in. I am sorry about your impending? loss and wish Sara and you the best in what remains of this life and the next.
And you know, as you have said in this post (or perhaps the covid one), if keeping busy helps, switching one of your computers to Linux and learning to use it is one such activity. It won't take you long.
Raspberry Pi is also an option, although it will make your Core 2 Duo seem sprightly. Raspbian (the OS provided by the manufacturer) is fairly easy to use, and although there are a few "geek" things needed to set up a Rasberry Pi properly, those procedures are exceedingly well documented. Of course, Raspberry Pis do not have displays, keyboards or mice, although they are compatible with just about anything out there.
I happen to have a stash of surplus Raspberry Pi 4s that were saved from the trash, and if you provide me with a way to contact you, I would be pleased to mail you one or two in "plug in and use" condition.
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branchandroot
Re: Computin' like it's 1984
Date: 2024-02-11 12:13 am (UTC)If you have a decent size USB thumbdrive, it is possible to put a Linux image on it, restart your PC and run Linux without altering your Windows installation. Performance will be reduced because the thumb drive is slow relative to a hard drive, but you can take it for a test drive. Actually installing Linux is simple, except for the part where your hard drive gets re-organized into two regions, which as I recall was much more painful with older Windows versions than the new ones. However, if you are content to wipe the whole hard drive and start fresh it is easy, especially if you have backup computers to do web searches, put things on USB drives, etc.
However, there is one caveat - the power saving functions of many laptops do not work properly under Linux due to a lack of driver support. This is better with newer hardware, but a laptop I owned of about the same vintage as yours lasted three hours on battery with Windows, and 45 minutes with Ubuntu. Your mileage will very depending on the exact model, but Lenovos are the most likely to have proper driver support.
Thank you for all the work you have done over the years to explain the situation we find ourselves in. I am sorry about your impending? loss and wish Sara and you the best in what remains of this life and the next.
And you know, as you have said in this post (or perhaps the covid one), if keeping busy helps, switching one of your computers to Linux and learning to use it is one such activity. It won't take you long.
Raspberry Pi is also an option, although it will make your Core 2 Duo seem sprightly. Raspbian (the OS provided by the manufacturer) is fairly easy to use, and although there are a few "geek" things needed to set up a Rasberry Pi properly, those procedures are exceedingly well documented. Of course, Raspberry Pis do not have displays, keyboards or mice, although they are compatible with just about anything out there.
I happen to have a stash of surplus Raspberry Pi 4s that were saved from the trash, and if you provide me with a way to contact you, I would be pleased to mail you one or two in "plug in and use" condition.